Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
educational influences,benign,far-reaching,
one may dare to prophesy that within
threescore years we can and must produce
an art which will be second to no other.
T H E coming season of grand opera in
*• English at the Metropolitan Opera
House
which opens on October ist, gives
TELEPHONE NUMBER. 1745.-EIQHTEENTM STREET
promise of being a great success from
The musical supplement to The Review is
published on the first Saturday of each month. every viewpoint. Nothing is being left un-
done apparently whether in the high stand-
HP HE art progress of America has been ing of the artists engaged, the conductors or
* splendidly exemplified in the fine scenic accessories, to make this season a note-
showing made at the Paris exposition and worthy one. A galaxy of stars has been
in the recognition accorded it in the official engaged, including Zelie De Lussan, Suz-
awards announced last week by the Presi- anne Adams, Minnie Tracey, Louise
dent of France. Our great painters have Meisslinger, Rita Elandi, Indeborg Balls-
come out practically second best while in trom, Elsa Marney, Phoebe Strakosch,
the piano field we occupy an equal honor Grace Golden; while the men include
with a few other countries, one of our among others such prominent artists as
exhibitors securing the grand prix. It Philip Brozel, Lionel d'Aubigne, Clarence
was a great French painter still living who Whitehall, Lempriere Pringle, Wm. Paul,
said not long ago in all seriousness that Joseph Sheehan, Francis Rogers, Chauncey
America would give the world a second Moore, Leslie Walker. The chorus and
renaissance. At the time this was con- orchestra will be large and competent.
sidered a ridiculous dictum, but in the
"Faust" will be the opening opera of the
light of siibsequent developments it does
season,
so no traditions will be shattered.
not seem as impossible as it did when
"Tannhauser"
and "Mignon" will be the
uttered.
two operas of the week. The subscription
Up to a few years ago, or to be more system to be established at the Metropoli-
exact, around the period of the World's tan promises to commend itself to patrons
Fair, American art played but a light part of the performances of opera in English to
in the history of the age, and foreign na- be given in New York and the leading cit-
tions especially found it very hard to take ies of the country. Although the same
the efforts of our people seriously. Dur- seats may be purchased for the entire peri-
ing the last few years, however, the United od of the engagement, subscribers may en-
States has not alone expanded in the mat- gage them each week with no liability ex-
ter of territory and become a world power cept to pay one week in advance.
commercially, but it has won an acknowl-
edged place as a potential factor in deter-
UZANNE ADAMS, who has been en-
mining the art history of the present civil-
gaged as a member of this organiza-
ization.
tion of English opera, in a recent talk said:
The opinion of the world regarding "English opera as a managerial venture,
American accomplishments in all depart- though it might seem to be an experiment,
ments of art progress has been changed, contains many assured elements of success.
and our cousins in Europe are coming to My observation has been that very few op-
realize that this great nation is speeding eratic audiences follow the words of the
along toward higher ideals than those of singer. Although, of course, many Amer-
mere commercialism. It is true, meanwhile, icans are acquainted with the various libret-
as W. O. Partridge said in a recent paper, tos of standard operas, still in New York
that "if we are to give definite and promi- the musical part of an operatic program,
nent shape to American art we must deter- not the words of the story, really creates
mine how we are best to use the heritage the general impression.
and ideas handed down to us by the past.
" English opera will have a distinct ad-
Experience and history show that we are vantage, for the audiences may enjoy not
on the threshold of a new era; like the only the fine orchestration and good sing-
Greeks, we have reached a high state of ing, but also the story, the sentiment, the
civilization and are free men. We have drama of the opera. In the middle of this
not, indeed, reached their larger culture, century grand opera was successfully given
but art grows with culture and culture in New York for several seasons. Of late,
with art. When we consider it, Greek art a local organization has presented it with a
rose from crudity to perfection in a period success that is very encouraging to the
of less than fifty years. The rough stat- singers engaged to appear at the Metropol-
ues of stone found near the Parthenon were itan. But never before in the history of
not made fifty years before Phidias carved grand opera has it been possible for the
the Parthenon frieze."
American people to listen to an opera given
America's contribution to the world of in their own language on so grand a scale
art will not be that of Greece. Miracles, as has been already outlined for the Opera
as Lowell has said, cannot be encored. Do House. I am enthusiastic about the pros-
not let us make the mistake, equally fatal, pects for the success of this experiment.
of copying the art of France, or Japan, or
' 'So far as vocalization is concerned, prob-
indeed of any nation. We need make no ably the Italian language lends itself most
undue haste. At our present rate of de- gracefully to the demands of musical roles,
velopment and the earnest desire, seen but the English lyrics, if carefully prepared
everywhere, but dimly understood, to with a regard for the singer, can be quite
have what is beautiful—and under the new as effective, and certainly more interesting
S
to English-speaking audiences. The Eng-
lish translation of French and Italian opera,
of course, must and will be of the very
best, and provided that the librettos be
skillfully arranged, I cannot see that there
are any great difficulties in the way jof
presenting English opera."
j
A N impression prevails that the Eng-
**• lish langtiage will interfere with the
phrasing of certain passages in operas
that have, according to tradition, been
sung in French, Italian, and German, bjut
Miss Adams thinks the impression is false.
If the lyrics are so written as to balance
the musical value of an operatic score, the
singer will not find any change in the ori-
ginal arrangement of the music. To those
singers who already speak English fluent-
ly, Miss Adams holds there would be an
added advantage, in the opportunity af-
forded them to make their impersonations
and their stage business clearly compre-
hensive to the audiences.
The leading roles of grand opera are of
very great dramatic interest; but because
audiences do not, as a whole, understand
Italian or French or German, a great deal
of the singer's dramatic work is not under-
stood. This disadvantage to artists who
devote much attention to their acting will
be, of course, overcome in English opera.
j*
of a grand opera is often lim-
T HE ited music
to a merely sensuous influence.
Because of the absence of that meaning
which is expressed in words, audiences are
compelled to fall back upon their own
imagination in translating into stoiythe
sounds sung in a foreign language, as Miss
Adams further and pertinently says:
"The purpose of presenting an opera in
English is probably not one of reform in
musical culture, so much as it is of enter-
tainment. To the popular mind and I
mean by popular mind all people, self-im-
portant and non-important, the music is
an inspiration, and requires the detail of a
human story to create a definite interest.
There is so much indefinite talk about the
impression and influence of music! It is
quite possible that English opera will
sweep away many theories with regard to
music that are much talked about and mis-
understood. To my mind the purpose of
music is to enhance, even to idealize a hu-^
man story, and without such story it has
little meaning. All songs, for instance,
tell their simple story. Why should not
operas have their plots made clear to audi-
ences? I cannot see any difficulties that
can arise for the singer in English opera."
HTHERE are even in this enlightened
* day and age, persons who look upon
music as an unnecessary luxury, and con-
sider a musical education altogether su-
perfluous. On the other hand, men of
wide experience and splendid attainments
have given voice to their recognition of
the value of music as an uplifting and en-
nobling agent in the education of man-
kind.
Gladstone will be remembered by mu-
sicians for his love of the art and his fre-